The present invention generally relates to cathode sputtering systems for coating substrates. More specifically, the invention relates to a cathode sputtering system having a process chamber within which is accommodated a rotating substrate carrier and to which are attached a cathode station and a loading and unloading station.
The sputter coating of substrates, for example, compact disks (CDs), is well known in vacuum processing technology, particularly thin film technology. CDs are a modern storage medium. Imprinted disks are sputter coated with a layer, for example, an aluminum layer having a thickness of less than one ten-thousandth of a millimeter.
The process chambers of a sputter coating system utilized for these purposes generally are of an annular construction. A robot loads and unloads substrates to and from the systems in a clean room via a sluice. A substrate carrier then conveys the substrates through the annular process chamber. Sputtering ensues via a high-power sputtering cathode constructed a magnetron.
Such a system is described in a brochure numbered 12-710.01 produced by Leybold-Heraeris GmbH. This known cathode sputtering system provides single sided coating of a substrate with a laser-reflecting aluminum layer. The system comprises an annular, horizontally oriented vacuum (process) chamber including a substrate loading and unloading station, a high-power sputtering cathode, a substrate carrier having a conveyor ring with a disk receptacle, and dynamic sluices for isolating pressure between the vacuum chamber and the loading and unloading station.